Mail-bag catcher.



R. S. VEACH.

MAIL BAG GATGHER. APPLICATION FILED 001.25, 1911.

1,014,678. Patented Jan. 16, 1912.-

thereby rotating the base UNITED STATES RICHARD S. VE'ACH, OF WALTON, -KIEN'1UCKY.

MAIL-BAG CATGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1912.

Application filed October 25, 1911. Serial No. 656,752.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD S. 'VEAOH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Walton, county of Boone, and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Bag Catchers, of which the following isa specification.

An object of my invention is a mail bag catcher, whose gripping action is quick and i of the contact face Z) of the arm. Between accurate.

Another objectof my invention is a mail bag catcher which may readily be turned and locked in either direction. Another object of my invention is a support for holding the bag on the mail car, which is swung to and from its operative position by the movement of the car door.

These objects are attained by the means described in the specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a mail bag catcher, embodying my invention, in 'its receiving position. Fig. 2'is a similar view,

but showing the mail catcher in its sprung position. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a part of the mail car, showing the mail catcher and the bag supporting frame in elevation. Fig. A is a sectional view taken upon line l& of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a crane with a mail bag catcher embodying my invention mounted thereon.

Referring to the parts; The mail bag catcher embodying my invention consists of a base plate A, which is pivoted to the car K or the crane M, a bag receiving arm B, upon which is a bag receiving hook D, a bag operated triggerarm E, and a lock bolt or rod G, for holding the arm B in the path of the bag to be received, until the arm is released by the bags striking the trigger arm E. Base plate A is pivoted to the car K by a rotatory bolt a, which passes through the side of the car and through a plate a, which is secured to the car and terminates in a head a Plate a has in it a diametrical groove a Splined upon the bolt a is a crank a which has a diametrical lug a to engage the diametrical groove of in the plate. Between the crank a and the head a is a coiled spring a", which tends normally to press the lug a into the groove a By grasping the crank a, drawing the lug (1 out of its notch a, bolt on may be rotated, plate A. When the rotation has been carried through 180 degrees, the lug a taking into the groove a will lock the base plate in its new position, which is that of 180 degrees distance from its former position; Base plate A has upon the contact face 6 and the base plate A, is a leaf spring 5 which tends normally to press the contact face 6 away from the base plate A and to carry the opposite end of the arm 'B toward the base plate. Hook D is secured to the inner side of the arm B, and with its end forming with the end of the arm a mouth for the reception of the bag. Trigger arm E is pivoted at 6 upon the arm B, adjacent to the mouth of the hook. Rod G passes through an eye or staple 9, upon the front of the arm B, is pivoted at one end 9 to the trigger arm E, and at its opposite end 9 is adapted to enter the bore inthe buffer-lug A The rod G has an offset 9 between which and the staple g, is a coiled spring 9, which tends normally to hold the end 9 in the bore of the bufi'er-lug. I

In the operation of this bag catching apparatus, as soon as the bag enters the mouth of the hook, which is standing in the position shown in Fig. 1, it strikes the trigger arm E, throws it rearward, draws the rod Gr out of contact with the buffer-lug A the spring 6 throws the arm B toward the train immediately. The bag havingpassed the trigger arm E, it immediately is thrown back to its normal position, across the mouth, by the spring 9 The bag is thus immediately gripped between the hook D, the arm B and the trigger arm E. When the arm B strikes the base plate, the spring arm A further supports and holds the bag.

I will now describe the means of mounting the bag which is to be delivered irom the car. A frame H is pivoted between a bracket plate It and the bottom of the door frame. Frame H has outwardly projecting arms h if, which have spring jaws k h, which engage the rings upon the bag. In the rear of the hinges of the car door A, a cable hole is is formed in the walls of the car, adjacent to which are mounted ulley frames is W, which carry pulleys Z0 2 A it a spring arm A, and at its end has a cable H is secured to the frame H, passes over the pulleys k k, and is secured upon the interior of the door A*, preferably by is released and the weaker spring is swings the frame H in toward the door, Where the mail bag may be easily mounted upon the receiving jaws k if. l/Vhen the car door A is closed, the cable and the spring 7: draw the frame H outward, so as to carry the bag into the path of the mail catcher, upon the crane M.

What I claim is:

1. In a mail bag catcher, the combination of an arm hinged to the side of a mail car, a mail receiving hook secured to thearm, a bolt mounted upon the arm and in its normal position adapted to hold the arm at an angle outward from the car, a spring holding the bolt in its normal position, and a trigger arm pivoted to the arm and to the bolt and normally held by the bolt across the mouth of the hook.

2. In a mail bag catcher, the combination of a base plate, an-arm hinged to the base plate, a mail receiving hook secured to the arm, a bolt mounted upon the arm and adapted to engage the base plate and to hold the arm normally at an angle to the base plate, and a trigger arm pivoted to the arm and to the bolt and normally held by the bolt across the mouth of the hook.

3. In a mail bag catcher, the combination of an arm hinged to the side of the car, a spring secured to the ear and normally tending to throw the arm in toward the car, a mail receiving hook secured upon the inner side of the arm, a-spring pressed bolt mounted on'the arm and in its normal position adapted to hold the arm at an angle to Copies oi. this patent may be obtained for opposite directions, an arm hinged to the 1 base plate, a mail receiving hook secured upon the arm, and a spring arm secured upon the base 'plate and cooperating with the mail receiving hook to hold a bag upon the arm.

5. The combination of a mail car having a swinging door, a frame pivoted in the door of the mail car, the pivot point of the frame being adjacent to the hinges of the door of themail car, the walls of the mail car having an opening adjacent to. the

hinges ofthe door, a cable secured to the frame, passing through the opening andsecured uponfthe inside of the car door, a

spring tending normally to carry the frame toward the car door, and mail bag supporting arms mounted upon the frame.

6.. In a mail catcher, the combination of a mail car, a base plate, a mail receiving hook mounted upon the plate, a rotatory bolt;

passing through the wall of the mail car, a detaining lug upon the bolt, a plate secured to the car and having a notch adapted to receive the lug, and a spring mounted upon the bolt and pressing the lug toward "the notch.

RICHARD S. VEACH. Witnesses WALTER F. MURRAY, IV. THOR TON Boennr.

five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of- Patents Washington, D. 0. 

